Weller denies Mack's claims

3:34 PM,
Jan. 8, 2008

Washoe County Family Court Judge Chuck Weller smiles as he leaves Clark County District Court after the conclusion of the Darren Mack murder trial on Monday Nov. 5, 2007. Mack pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Judge Weller and the murder of his wife Charla Mack. As a condition of his plea, Mack will receive a 20-year to life sentence on the murder count.

Written by

Judge Chuck Weller, the family court judge who was shot in his court chambers in 2006, today denied claims by Darren Mack and others that he demanded $5 million from Mack in exchange for supporting Mack's guilty plea agreement.

"I never said that to anyone and I never authorized anyone to say it on my behalf," Weller said. "I am an honest and an ethical judge."In a declaration released Monday, Mack said that Weller and his lawyer, Cal Dunlap, called Mack's former lawyer David Chesnoff and said they would go along with the plea deal if Mack paid him the money."I went back to the bench after being shot ...